Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

03/04/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/04/2026 09:47

Working together for Ukraine: Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to the informal CBSS meeting in Warsaw

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Working together for Ukraine: Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to the informal CBSS meeting in Warsaw

Informal CBSS meeting in Warsaw - family photo (04.03.2026) © Photothek Media Lab

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04.03.2026 - Article

Foreign Minister Wadephul is attending the informal meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in Warsaw today. The discussions will focus on providing ongoing close support for Ukraine.

Germany and the other members of the CBSS Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Sweden, as well as Iceland, Norway and the EU have been some of Kyiv's most reliable partners since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Prior to his departure, Foreign Minister Wadephul issued the following statement:

As much as the Gulf region is holding our attention, the greatest security policy challenge for Europe is still Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The Council of the Baltic Sea States today brings together the strongest and clearest supporters of Ukraine. I want to emphasise that Germany still sees its priority here. Together, we have understood that Ukraine and the Baltic Sea region remain the focus of our security activity in Europe.

Particularly strong supporters of Ukraine

Germany is working to support Ukraine in many different ways, together with its neighbours and partners. As well as military and humanitarian assistance, the priority is economic stabilisation and supporting the country along its path towards the European Union.

This cooperation is an expression of the common understanding that Europe's security is inextricably linked with a secure future for Ukraine. Poland plays a prominent role in this context as a logistical hub and a close political contact. Likewise, the Baltic States Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have made significant contributions in the fields of training, equipment and reconstruction projects. Denmark is supporting Ukraine particularly in the area of air defence and arms production, and is playing a leading role in coordinating European assistance initiatives.

Common goal: peace and stability in Europe

Russia's war of aggression remains Europe's greatest security challenge. The Baltic States regard their close cooperation as a response to this threat and at the same time a way to strengthen European cohesion. Germany's priority is to equip Ukraine to safeguard its independence and territorial integrity in the long term from a military, economic and institutional perspective.

The meeting in Warsaw provides the CBSS foreign ministers with the opportunity to coordinate their measures further and spark new impetus for even more targeted support for Ukraine. At the same time, it reinforces the political will of the Baltic, Northern and Eastern European partners to assume joint responsibility for peace, stability and security in Europe.

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Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

The Council of the Baltic Sea States comprises eight Baltic Sea coastal states - Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Sweden - as well as Iceland, Norway and the EU. On 1 July 2025, Poland took over the CBSS Presidency, which rotates between member states on an annual basis, from Estonia. The Presidency's top priority is promoting regional security. This includes protecting critical infrastructure and dealing with the Russian shadow fleet. Germany last held the one-year Presidency in 2022/2023. Iceland will assume the Presidency in the summer.

Russia's membership was suspended in March 2022 in response to its war of aggression against Ukraine. The country subsequently withdrew from the Council in May 2022. The CBSS Secretariat is based in Stockholm.

Further information about the CBSS and its activities can be found at https://www.cbss.org.

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Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany published this content on March 04, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 04, 2026 at 15:47 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]